Elvira Kadyrova
On 22 February 2022, the delegation of Turkmenistan headed by Deputy Prime Minister, foreign minister Rashid Meredov held a series of negotiations in Moscow. The talks led to the inking a package of documents and the Joint Statement.
The regional security issues, preparations for the 6th Caspian Summit, celebration of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relation and further enhancement of bilateral relations were highlighted during the talks.
Talks between the Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan and Russia
The key item on the agenda of the visit was the negotiations between the foreign ministers of Turkmenistan and Russia.
Meredov and Lavrov discussed a wide range of issues of bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on topical issues of regional and international affairs.
The parties agreed that Turkmen-Russian relations now a stable, strategic character and are progressing in accordance with the agreements reached by the two presidents. They noted that the close partnership in the political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres between Turkmenistan and Russia is currently reaching a new level, developing steadily and purposefully.
During the talks, the heads of the foreign ministries of Turkmenistan and Russia stressed the great importance of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries celebrated this year. It was emphasized that this event marked a new stage in the centuries-old history of Turkmen-Russian relations, ensuring their constructive, respectful and equal character at the present stage.
The foreign ministries and members of the delegations visited a photo exhibition dedicated to this significant date.
The parties agreed to intensify their efforts to create the conditions for the two countries’ constructive, mutually beneficial cooperation to continue.
Opening remarks by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
Mr Meredov, friends,
We are happy to welcome you to Moscow as part of our efforts to develop our strategic partnership and trust-based dialogue, the tone for which has been set by the presidents of our two countries. I want to especially note the importance of the Strategic Partnership Treaty, which was signed in October 2017 at the initiative of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. It is more than just a signed document; it is being carried out in practice. I believe that today we will discuss in detail what additional issues we need to address in keeping with the principled guidelines set by our leaders.
This year we will mark 30 years since our diplomatic relations were established. We agreed to mark this anniversary by holding significant events. We have supported the proposal of our friends from Turkmenistan to coordinate the event programme, which we will sign today. The programme is quite extensive and includes the exchange of messages at the top level, as well as various conferences, roundtable discussions and exhibitions. I believe this will go down well with the people of the two countries. So far, we have prepared a small-scale exhibition of archive documents, beginning with the establishment of diplomatic relations and running through the present day. It highlights the contacts between our presidents and foreign ministers.
We are maintaining close cooperation, as far as people-to-people ties are concerned. We have mutual interest in exchanges in the education sphere. We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the attention that is being given to the Russian language in Turkmenistan. And young people there increasingly decide to receive a higher education in Russia. We are ready to do our best to help them satisfy their interests.
We had an entire range of cultural events planned. Unfortunately, the coronavirus has postponed the schedule. I am confident that we will be able to hold the upcoming Days of Russian Culture in Turkmenistan, the Week of Russian Cinema, and exchange tours of the two countries’ leading theatres.
We have good interaction in healthcare. Turkmenistan was among the first countries to register the Russian vaccines. We have established distribution of these vaccines to Turkmenistan. We know that they are successful because they achieve the goal of protecting people from the coronavirus.
Our trade and economic cooperation are developing steadily. The intergovernmental commission meets regularly. Today we will discuss this, as well as other current international and regional affairs.
We closely cooperate within the UN and CIS, as well as in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. With support from Turkmenistan and personally from Mr Meredov, we have the “Central Asian Five plus Russia” format for foreign ministers. We are interested in continuing to use it as a platform for trust-based discussion, especially of the problems in and around Afghanistan. Like Turkmenistan, Russia is interested in Afghanistan developing as a peaceful, independent, and neutral state free from the terrorist threat and drug trafficking. We praise Ashgabat’s consistent contribution to the general international effort to achieve peace in and around Afghanistan.
The Caspian region is another area we are united by. Preparations for the sixth Caspian Summit in Ashgabat are nearing completion. We hope that this year we will be able to assemble in hospitable Turkmenistan and make the decisions we are now talking about. We share the perception of the discussion process. I am confident that we will be able to agree on a productive final package of documents.
Opening remarks by foreign minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov
Thank you very much, dear Sergey Viktorovich,
Dear colleagues,
I would also like to thank you, Sergey Viktorovich, for the opportunity to meet here in Moscow to discuss a wide range of issues of Turkmenistan’s bilateral strategic partnership with the Russian Federation.
Of course, today’s exchange of views on regional and international issues, on issues that are of interest to both sides, will be very valuable for us.
You correctly stressed that this year is a landmark year for relations between our states. On 8 April 2022, we will celebrate together the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. And in this context, the document – the action plan between Turkmenistan and the Russian Federation, which we will sign with you, will serve as a guideline for intensifying our joint actions in this regard during 2022.
Sending our delegation to Moscow, the distinguished President of Turkmenistan yesterday, during the meeting with members of the Cabinet of Ministers, heads of regions of Turkmenistan, paid special attention to this working visit. In particular, the President of Turkmenistan said very clearly that strategic partnership with the Russian Federation is one of the priorities of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy.
Based on this, we are certainly aimed at further development and expansion of our relations in a wide range of areas. Today, in our opinion, we have quite active political and diplomatic cooperation, effective cooperation in the trade and economic sphere. Cultural and humanitarian ties are growing in an upward trend.
We will discuss these and other issues with you today, so I would like to say that the delegation of Turkmenistan, visiting Moscow this time, is holding talks at the Foreign Ministry, there will be meetings with your deputies. Meetings and negotiations in other state agencies of the Russian Federation have taken place and will continue to take place during this day.
In this regard, I believe that today’s meeting and the upcoming exchange of views will be an important stage in further strengthening the traditionally friendly relations between Turkmenistan and Russia. Thank you very much.
Meeting at the Federation Council
During the meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Meredov with the Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia Grigory Karasin, the importance of further development and expansion of inter-parliamentary cooperation was emphasized.
Karasin stressed that bilateral cooperation between Russia and Turkmenistan continues to develop steadily. Cooperation in the educational, cultural, and humanitarian fields, as well as inter-parliamentary relations, has been successful.
Rashid Meredov mentioned that the two countries have an open, friendly, and constructive dialogue. He informed about the national program of socio-economic development of Turkmenistan for the next 30 years.
During the meeting, the issues of preparation and holding of the high-level inter-parliamentary forum, as well as the Dialogue of Women Leaders of Central Asia in May 2022 in Ashgabat, were discussed. The topic of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Turkmenistan was brought up, and a schedule of events is being worked out to commemorate the occasion.
The sides considered the issues of preparation for the 6th Caspian Summit in Turkmenistan and the 2nd Caspian Economic Forum in Russia in 2022.
Discussion of preparations for the Caspian Summit
Meredov also met with the Special Representative of the Russian President for the Delimitation and Demarcation of the border of the Russian Federation with neighboring CIS countries, the head of the Russian delegation to the multilateral negotiations on the Caspian Sea Mihail Petrakov.
The sides stressed that the interaction of Turkmenistan and Russia makes a significant constructive contribution to strengthening friendship, cooperation and mutually beneficial multilateral partnership in the Caspian Sea, turning the Caspian region into one of the centers of economic, transport, logistics, energy and investment partnerships in Eurasia.
The importance of the upcoming 6th Caspian Summit was emphasized. The parties agreed to collaborate closely for the successful preparation and holding of this event.
Participation of CIS observers in the presidential elections in Turkmenistan
The delegation of Turkmenistan met with the Deputy Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee Ilhom Nematov.
The issues of organizing the CIS observation mission were thoroughly discussed in light of Turkmenistan’s upcoming presidential elections on March 12, 2022.
Consultations on SCO issues
During the visit, the foreign ministries held the consultations on the level on deputy foreign minister of Turkmenistan Vepa Hadjiev and deputy minister of foreign affairs of Russia Igor Morgulov.
A thorough and meaningful exchange of views took place on a wide range of issues related to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s activities.
The parties focused on the practical aspects of multifaceted work to counter security challenges and threats, the development of economic cooperation and humanitarian ties within the SCO, and the strengthening of its international positions. Prospects for promoting cooperation between Turkmenistan and the SCO were discussed.
Documents signed
The foreign ministers of Turkmenistan and Russia adopted a joint statement in connection with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The following documents were signed on the sidelines of the visit to Moscow and the bilateral Turkmen-Russian negotiations:
- Roadmap of cooperation between Turkmenistan and the Russian Federation on regional security issues;
- Implementation plan of the main directions of Turkmen-Russian cooperation in the field of international information security for 2022-2025;
- Plan of events dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Turkmenistan and the Russian Federation.
Statement by the Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations
(unofficial translation)
We, the Foreign Ministers of the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan, taking into account the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our states, celebrated in 2022,
relying on the historically established ties between the peoples of the two countries, the principles of equality, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs and mutual trust,
recalling the commitments enshrined in the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan of 23 April 2002, and the Treaty between the Russian Federation and Turkmenistan on Strategic Partnership of 2 October 2017,
We declare:
It is in our national interests to further actively develop bilateral interstate ties in order to strengthen security, development and cooperation in Central Asia and throughout the Eurasian space.
In this context, we note the importance of a trustful exchange of views and coordination of positions on key issues of bilateral relations, topical international issues, including during regular meetings at the highest and high levels.
With full respect for Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality, strategic cooperation and coordination in foreign policy, as well as convergence of views of our states on the most important regional and international issues, will be comprehensively deepened.
We will continue to develop cooperation in every possible way within the framework of the United Nations and its specialized agencies, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Central Asia + Russia and the Caspian Five formats, as well as other multilateral unions in order to develop common approaches and support each other when considering issues affecting the national interests of each of the parties.
We consider the Commonwealth of Independent States as an important platform for deepening cooperation in political, economic, cultural, humanitarian and other spheres. We will step up cooperation within the framework of this organization in order to further strengthen good-neighborly relations between the participating States, ensure their socio-economic development, maintain international security and stability, and counter new challenges and threats based on the Concept of Further Development of the Commonwealth of Independent States and its other fundamental documents.
We intend to cooperate in the direction of combining national development strategies and multilateral integration processes across the vast Eurasian space in the interests of forming a Greater Eurasian Partnership.
We will continue to work together to help Afghanistan achieve long-term peace, security, and stable development, which is critical for the well-being of its neighboring countries. We believe it is important to respect Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity while also ensuring the Afghan people’s right to peace and prosperity. We agreed to encourage the Afghan side to form a truly inclusive government that reflects the interests of the country’s key ethno-political groups, respect basic human rights principles, and step up efforts to counter the threats of the spread of terrorism and drug trafficking emanating from Afghanistan territory.
In view of the global nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and the risks of new epidemics, we will continue to promote cooperation in the field of sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population of our countries, the implementation of joint projects and the exchange of research results in the prevention and control of infectious diseases, building laboratory capacity and training specialists.
We confirm our readiness to develop cooperation on the basis of a bilateral intergovernmental memorandum of understanding on biological safety.
We attach great importance to regular dialogue on the subject of regional security, cooperation through interested services with a view to mutually beneficial and confidential exchange of information to build up the anti-crisis response capacity of our states.
We will continue active cooperation on international information security issues at the UN, at regional venues and in a bilateral format. In this context, we will rely on the Plan for the implementation of the main directions of Russian-Turkmenistan cooperation in the field of ensuring the international information security for 2022-2025.
Based on mutual respect for the interests, we will contribute to the implementation of the coordinating role of the Intergovernmental Russian-Turkmen Commission for Economic Cooperation on priority projects for both sides in trade, economic, transport and communication, investment, energy, cultural and humanitarian fields in full accordance with the principles of strategic partnership.
We will take measures to prepare and successfully hold the Sixth Caspian Summit, which will be held in Turkmenistan in 2022. To this end, we will continue close coordination of efforts within the framework of the High-level Working Group on the Caspian Sea. /// nCa, 23 February 2022 (photo credit – press services of the foreign ministry of Russia, Federation Council, CIS Executive Committee)